aside What Really happened Today, July7 Meeting Between The US And Russian Leaders

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As to what really happened today, on July 7, 2017 at the tête-à-tête between the Russian President Donald Trump and the U.S. President Vladimir Putin at the setting of the G20 conference being held in the German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s hometown, Hamburg, no one will ever know with any degree of certainty. The only other officials present were the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov along with two translators.

On the plus side, the U.S. Secretary Rex Tillerson has past experience in dealing with President Putin when he was Exxon’s CEO and so this allowed for a conversation to occur between the two leaders where a personal connection had already been established. This could have allowed those in the room to be more blunt and less circumspect about what was said and thereby, they could make progress in areas of mutual interest.

The negatives are glaring. The National Security Adviser was nor present when the topics being covered, all related to our national security interests. This is standard. And there was no one taking notes.

With the players in the room and with the US interests at stake, being represented by two neophytes, one who prefers to live in his alt-reality universe and the Russians in possession of a vast array of facts, admittedly formed by the Russian perspective, with decades of previous high stakes negotiations with other world leaders, I would have liked to have a greater certainty, that US national security interests were not compromised.

This is a moment in time, where appearances or looking like a tough guy is not sufficient for the task at hand. It is expected that the tough guy stance be backed up by a clear understanding of the facts with a strategic plan on how to advance US goals. In this room, it was not the US president who was the real tough guy. And President Putin got his day on the World Stage.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin REUTERS/Carlos Barria

After the 2 hour 15 minute conference, the US Secretary of State Tillerson held a press conference where he confirmed that right at the start, President Trump did indeed bring up the subject of Russia’s meddling in U.S. politics during the 2016 presidential elections, which of course President Putin and Minister Lavrov flatly and vehemently denied. After another attempt by the president which was again met by a wall of denial, the president decided to move on to other important topics.

WHAT MR. TILLERSON TOLD REPORTERS BASED ON MY MEMORY

The president pressed Putin on multiple occasions, but President Putin denied involvement, as I believe he has done in the past.” They had a very robust and lengthy exchange on the subject.”

Finally both presidents “agreed” the issue was a “substantial hindrance” to the ability to move the relationship between the U.S. and Russia forward.

“The president was rightly focused on how do we move forward from what may be simply an intractable disagreement at this point.”

WHAT SERGEY LAVROV TOLD REPORTERS BASED ON AP REPORT

“President Trump heard President Putin stating clearly” that the interference allegations are “not true” and the “Russian government did not meddle.”

An AP report is stating that the White House is pushing back on Mr. Lavrov’s version of what was said between the two leaders.

LAVROV

Here is the rest of the story…

On July 7, 2017, Roberta Rampton and Jeff Mason of of Reuters penned the following report, “Trump and Putin find chemistry, draw criticism in first meeting.”

Excerpts:

“In a meeting that ran longer than either side had planned, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin discussed alleged Russian meddling in the U.S. election on Friday but agreed to focus on better ties rather than litigating the past.”

“Trump, a Republican who called it an “honor” to meet with the Russian president, drew swift criticism from Democrats at home, who accused him of dismissing U.S. intelligence and giving Putin’s denial, reiterated on Friday, of Russian interference too much weight.”

“Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters at a summit of leaders of the Group of 20 major economies in Hamburg that Trump had “positive chemistry” with Putin during the meeting, which lasted some two hours and 15 minutes.”

“He opened their discussion by pressing Putin about “the concerns of the American people regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election” and had a robust exchange, Tillerson said.”

TRUMP/ PUTIN

“The Russian president has denied any meddling in the U.S. democratic process last year and Moscow has asked for proof that it took place. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Trump accepted Putin’s assertions that the allegations, backed by U.S. intelligence agencies, were false.”

“Tillerson said they both sought to move on.”

“The presidents rightly focused on how do we move forward from what may be simply an intractable disagreement at this point,” Tillerson said.”

“That explanation did not sit well with Democrats.”

“Working to compromise the integrity of our election process cannot and should not be an area where ‘agree to disagree’ is an acceptable conclusion,” said U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer in a statement.”

“On Thursday in Poland Trump gave lukewarm support to the view that Moscow interfered in the 2016 U.S. political process.”

“Trump promised a rapprochement with Moscow during his campaign but has been unable to deliver because his administration has been dogged by investigations into the allegations of Russian interference in the election and ties with his campaign.”

“Tillerson said they agreed to work on commitments of “non-interference in the affairs of the United States and our democratic process as well as those in other countries.”

“Andrew Weiss, a former National Security Council official responsible for Russia, said Trump had sent the wrong signal with upbeat body language and by not pushing Putin harder on alleged Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election.”

“The atmospherics were chummy,” said Weiss, who is now at Washington’s Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank in Washington. “The clear push from Trump to normalize U.S.-Russian relations was on display in the meeting.”

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin REUTERS/Carlos Barria

“GOING VERY WELL”

The two leaders spent a lot of time discussing Syria, and after their meeting an agreement between the United States, Russia and Jordan on a ceasefire in southwestern Syria was announced.

The face-to-face encounter was one of the most eagerly anticipated meetings between two leaders in years.

President Donald Trump speaks with President Vladimir Putin REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Trump and Putin spoke through translators with their respective foreign ministers present for six minutes before reporters were allowed into the room for their statements. Afterwards the reporters were ushered out and the meeting continued.

“President Putin and I have been discussing various things, and I think it’s going very well,” Trump told reporters, sitting alongside the Russian leader.

“We’ve had some very, very good talks. … We look forward to a lot of very positive things happening for Russia, for the United States and for everybody concerned. And it’s an honor to be with you.”

“Putin, through a translator, said: “We spoke over the phone with you several times,” adding: “A phone conversation is never enough.”

“I am delighted to be able to meet you personally, Mr. President,” he said, noting that he hoped the meeting would yield results.

“The encounter went longer than expected, and first lady Melania Trump came in at one point to urge them to conclude, Tillerson said. The two men later joined other G20 leaders at a concert. Mrs. Trump sat next to Putin at dinner.”

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Before the get-together, some feared the U.S. president, a political novice whose team is still developing its Russia policy, would be less prepared for the talks than Putin, a former KGB agent who has dealt with previous U.S. presidents and scores of other world leaders.”

“Amid criticism of Russia’s actions in Ukraine and Syria and the investigations into its role in the U.S. campaign, Trump has come under growing pressure to take a hard line against the Kremlin.”

“On Thursday, Trump delivered some of his sharpest remarks about Moscow since becoming president, urging Russia to stop its “destabilizing activities” and end its support for Syria and Iran.”

“But Trump stopped short on Thursday of any personal criticism of Putin and declined to say definitively whether he believed U.S. intelligence officials’ assertion that Russia had interfered in the 2016 U.S. election.”

“I think it was Russia but I think it was probably other people and/or countries, and I see nothing wrong with that statement. Nobody really knows. Nobody really knows for sure,” Trump said on a visit to Poland.”

14 comments

Trump sounds very weak and conciliatory . I bet when he returns to America he’ll try to remove some (all) of the sanctions on Russia.If that meant a positive relationship with Putin’s Russia from now on I could almost go for it but it wouldn’t solve the problems that caused the sanctions in the first place.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx

It is a sad day when I don’t know which is the true version of events, that of Rex Tillerson or Sergey Lavrov. Neither are credible. There is no trust but verify option here because there is no way to verify.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin shared a chilling anti-media moment in Hamburg when they faced journalists and Putin asked “These are the ones hurting you?” Trump responded “These are the ones. You’re right about that.” Trump was commiserating with a man who has decimated the free press in Russia where dozens of journalists have been killed.

Since 1993, roughly 60 reporters have been killed. Russia maintains a close level of control over the press where Putin has reinstated authoritarianism in the country after a fleeting period of democratic rule.

To have such an exchange with a man like Putin about the free press is a truly low moment for our country. The men and women in front of the two leaders represent a profession that has lost dozens of journalists who simply fought to publish the truth about the Putin regime. Thousands more have died around the world in the struggle for free speech and the free press. I understand the need to deal with figures like Putin in diplomacy but commiserating with the likes of Vladimir Putin about the free press is a shocking image for any American president.

I totally concur with you and Jonathan Turley on this analysis. The free press is one check on unbridled power.

I was concerned about the visual images of the protests getting out of hand and destructive to where they are damaging their own messaging. I would hope there will be reporting as to who was responsible for escalating protests into acts of violence.

I am a major advocate for peaceful protests as a tool to be used by the peoples and part of the American fabric.

You’re right, i’m curious to know if these “protesters” are actually bused in rioters causing mayhem for a specific agenda. Who is financing these ppl and what are they really after?

As for our President, sounds like 2 mafia kingpins “putin” the kibosh on free press, we’ll see how that sits with the ppl – that’s something worth protesting about. Keep up the great work Gronda, we really appreciate your insightful investigative reporting! Have a nice weekend. 🙂

Dear Mz. Gronda,
Well, I guess it is settled then, because Putin, tRump and Tillerson, have announced that there was no interference in our elections that there was none! Who could possibly question the veracity of these people who are known for their crystal clear honesty, right? 😉

I can’t stand this!!! 😡 … I have no civilized/nice words about this. It’s treason without shame in front is all is us & the world!
My feelings are boiling …. I really ‘hate’ this man who occupies the I Oval! 😡

Mz. Gronda,
Did you see the amusing photo of the tRump sitting at the table alone and looking like a lost goose as all the other delegates to the meeting were milling around and in discussions with each other? It looked like absolutely none of them wanted to even talk to him or socialize with him in any way! Yet he has declared that he impressed them with his proposals and they all wanted to get his opinions on how to proceed! This man is so far in over his head that I don’t actually think he knows where he is or what he is doing most of the time! He actually thinks it is a victory that they agreed he did not have to participate in the Paris Accord, I can only shake my head in disgust that he is that dense! Isn’t this sort of like the kid that owned the baseball and declared himself the winner because he quit and took his ball home?